Miles Sampa’s lawyers demand retraction from UK-based blogger over Ruth Mbandu murder claims Lawyers acting for Patriotic Front president Miles Sampa have written to a Zambian social media commentator based in the United Kingdom, demanding she retract Facebook posts accusing…

Miles Sampa’s lawyers demand retraction from UK-based blogger over Ruth Mbandu murder claims

Lawyers acting for Patriotic Front president Miles Sampa have written to a Zambian social media commentator based in the United Kingdom, demanding she retract Facebook posts accusing him of murdering Ruth Mbandu, the National Institute of Public Administration student killed in Lusaka in 2012. The demand gives her seven days to comply or face court action.

The letter, issued by Mutemwa Chambers on Mr Sampa’s instructions, is addressed to Lilian Mutambo, who runs the Facebook page “Lily Mutamz TV.” Ms Mutambo’s listed address is tied to a business called Kwacha Foods on Yarm Lane in Stockton-on-Tees, England. The lawyers cite a post made on or about 16 July 2026, accompanied by photographs of the deceased Ms Mbandu, which they say has since been viewed and shared by members of the public both inside and outside Zambia.

In the post, Ms Mutambo is quoted stating that Mr Sampa “murdered Ruth Mbandu,” telling him directly “you killed her,” and accusing him of trying “to conceal her pregnancy by eliminating her.” She also described him as a “cold-blooded killer.” The lawyers say she went on to suggest he was evading criminal responsibility and to portray him as involved in occult practices.

Mutemwa Chambers lists six separate insinuations it says the publication carries: that Mr Sampa is a murderer, that he deliberately caused Ms Mbandu’s death, that he killed her to conceal a pregnancy, that he is evading prosecution through political influence, that he engages in criminal and occult conduct, and that he is unfit to hold public office. The firm calls all of these claims false, malicious, reckless and without any factual or legal basis, stressing that Mr Sampa has never been charged, convicted or found responsible for Ms Mbandu’s death or that of any other person.

The lawyers argue the publication was calculated to expose their client to public hatred, ridicule and contempt, and that it has caused serious reputational injury. They are demanding an immediate retraction, an unreserved apology, removal of the posts, and a written undertaking that Ms Mutambo will stop making similar statements about Mr Sampa. Failure to comply within seven days, the letter states, will result in legal proceedings without further notice.

Ms Mbandu, a 19-year-old NIPA student, was killed in Matero in July 2012 in a case that drew national attention and has never been conclusively solved. Suspects arrested over her death were later acquitted, with the Lusaka High Court ruling in 2017 that police had failed to produce sufficient evidence linking them to the crime. The presiding judge noted at the time that even basic supporting material, including a medical report, had not been placed before the court.

Mr Sampa was the Matero MP when Ms Mbandu was killed and later served as mayor of Lusaka. He took a visible interest in the investigation at the time, offering a reward for information leading to a conviction and opening a memorial account in her name. He has consistently denied any involvement in her death and has pursued legal demands against others who made the same allegation in the years since, including a photographer in 2021 and a Patriotic Front member in 2023.

The lawyer’s letter lands as Mr Sampa leads a faction of the PF and has publicly backed President Hakainde Hichilema‘s re-election bid ahead of the August polls, following an extended period of court battles over control of the party leadership.

Ms Mutambo had not issued a public response to the demand at the time of publication. Whether she retracts the post within the stipulated period, or the dispute proceeds to litigation, will depend on her next move.